Loudwater

Monday, 10 February 2014

Session 60 - Welcome Home. 31/6/1480-3/6/1481 DR

1480 DR

M7
Shar brings the Heroes of Loudwater to her Pillars of Night, in a throne room once belonging to the deceased Arch-Devil Bel. Selune restores Sir Jorah to life, and blesses Pealias' amulet. The sister goddesses speak of a threat posed by Orcus and Szass Tamm of Thay, a prophecy by Lady Saharel of Spellgard that Szass Tamm will destroy them both. Shar tells Quinn that she will soon call upon Quinn to marshall her armies against Orcus in the Shadowfell. She will have great power, but never again know mortal love.

21/7/1480: The Heroes of Loudwater arrive back in the Gray Vale, interrupting Boris & Chera' wedding ceremony conducted by Halvath the Green Regent. There is much rejoicing.

News - Sword Coast
- The Luskan/Thayan threat to Neverwinter has been defeated by an alliance of
heroes, at the cost of Vajra Safhar, Archmage of Waterdeep. Liana Arunsen
becomes the new Archmage of Waterdeep.

Netheril and
Thay are officially at war; a Netherese Flying Fortress bombards the borders of
Thay, disrupting the ‘Shadow Road’ by which Thayan forces move through the
Shadowfell to the Sword Coast.

M8

News - Elturel – Undead host of ghouls and zombies issuing forth
from Fort Morninglord while the army of Elturgard
besieged Iriaebor were successfully driven back by a hastily assembled
Elturgard force led by the Paladin Princess Shaedra Kyatt, three of the Twelve Peers of Elturel, and the priests
of Torm and Amaunator. King Pyvim orders the seals on Fort Morninglord
strengthened.

Vaasa – In the east the Warlock Knights of Vaasa have bent
the knee to a Balroch-Demon of Orcus that now commands Castle Perilous, ancient
abode of the Orcus-Lich Zhengyi. Vaasa is now allied with Thay.

23/8/1480 DR - The Palace has today announced that Queen Esmerelda has today given birth to twins, a healthy boy and girl. The Palace has refused to comment on speculation regarding the hairiness of the infants' feet.Esme names her children.Boy : Quartermain Tirios Marsh. Girl : Lirael Valeris Arya
M9

News - The Zhent-infested city of Iriaebor has surrendered to Elturgard.
Elturgard turns her attention to the gnolls of Reaching Wood, while Cormyr
besieges Darkhold, using powerful Ritual magic (similar to Forbiddance) to block the Zhents’ escape via the Darkhold Portal.

Lirael and Quinn (re)introduce Dolf Dragonheart and Amara deTrevani at a Northwood Manor dinner party. They successfully hit it off.

M9-M12

Pealias and Lirael's brother Arvis head east for Evereska, meeting the Eladrin and returning to Loudwater through the snows of winter, shortly before New Year's Day. Arvis is maturing into a capable Ranger.

1481 DR

M1

Hallomak Stromm and Archmage Liana Arunsen attended the
funeral of an old wizard in Shadowdale.

M4

Darkhold has fallen to Cormyr; some senior Zhents had already
fled, probably east to the main Zhent lair near Westgate. Elturgard is
campaigning in the Reaching Wood against the gnolls.

M5

News from Elturgard – King Pyvim Kyatt has concluded a successful
campaign against the Gnolls of Reaching Wood. The Twelve Peers of Elturel distinguished themselves in the campaign,
slaying the Gnoll Warchief Gullclaw
and his main cohorts, avenging Gullclaw's 1479 DR attack on Elturgard.

An earthquake
opens rift to ancient dwarven halls of Splendarmorrn behind the Shining Falls,
Adakmi. A patrol sent to investigate
does not return. Soon the disappearances start… Adakmi send an emissary west to Loudwater seeking aid, the
dwarf river pilot Glasur seeks out
Lirael & co.

The Proposal - by Kimberly Pauley -Lirael account M8 1480 DRIt had been some days now since they had returned from the depths but things had not yet returned to normal, at least not for Lirael. She felt unsettled, not least of which because of the strangeness that had come between her and Jorah. She had caught him conferring more than once with Quinn and strange glances had been passing between the two of them. It worried her. Was there something amiss? Jorah had been so quiet, even more so than usual, and almost distant. Had the Underdark – and death, however fleeting – changed him somehow? Changed them?

She had been wondering herself how to broach a sensitive subject with him. She needed him at the Manor – safe, where she did not have to worry after him. Too often in the depths of that hellish place she had found herself distracted (OOC: and rolling 2s!) on the battlefield, looking for him instead of concentrating on the battle. He was a brave fighter, no question, but his skills were so well-suited to being Steward. At Northwood, where he would be relatively safe. With all the news from around the Vale, things were not bound to stay quiet long. What if next time…she could not bear to think about it.

It was a conversation she was dreading, but Quinn or someone always seemed to be around. She had not had any time alone with Jorah since their return. Was he avoiding her? She was almost desperate enough to ask the Bard. Almost.

Then Jorah himself came to her. “Would you walk with me, Lirael?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said. She put aside her knitting and followed him into the quiet of the wood. It felt good to be out under the early evening sky and the air was crisp and cool. Everything felt so clean after being below.

They were silent as they made their way to a secluded clearing – a spot they had once snuck away to have a picnic in before the Underdark. Jorah led her to the center of it, where the new grass was soft underfoot. Without a word he dropped to one knee, then fumbled in his tunic to pull out a jeweled arrow.

“It’s for you,” he mumbled and then something about Quinn and advice and hoping she liked it. She barely had time for an exclamation of surprise before he was holding something else up to her with a shaking hand. It was an exquisitely delicate silver ring of two unicorns, touching horns. The moonlight seemed to kiss it with a ghostly radiance.

“Oh,” she said.

The words rushed out of him, out of quiet, taciturn Jorah. He spoke of fear and longing and death, of hope and life and longing, of building a future. His words finally stumbled to a stop with “I fear I cannot stay at Northwood if you tell me no; I have no heart for anything without you.”

Lirael took his hand in her own, entwining her fingers with his and closing them around the ring. She drew him up to his feet. “Stay,” she said. “Stay here with me, always.”

Jareth - by Nick 1/6/1481 DRJareth reflected on the past year’s happenings as he strode between Northwood Manor and the barracks. Although there appeared to be no direct threat to the Wardship the recent news, from all sides, had been troubling. Still, there was plenty to look forward to in the coming season’s inevitable battles!

Reaching the tall double doors of the barracks, and acknowledging the sentries’ salutes, he looked up at the imposing two-storey building. With a training hall, small library and classrooms downstairs and three dormitories upstairs, one for each of the three watches, the whole place was always alive with two watches of eager recruits, training and learning within its confines. It was in to one of these three dormitories that he walked now, hefting the satchel he carried over one shoulder. As he entered, the sound of jovial banter subsided and the eleven resting guardsmen of the Blue watch leapt to their feet. “I have an announcement to make - come with me into the training hall,” he said, before turning on his heel and walking through into the training arena. The sounds of sparring subsided as he entered, with the others, forming up into a semicircle as the others put down their training weaponry to join them.

“I’m sure some of you will have heard about the recent disappearances in Adakmi,” he began. “The Warden has decided to send forth a party to investigate. I’ll need two volunteers.”A sea of arms shot up.“Marcus, and Feris,” he said, naming one of the watch sergeants and a lance-corporal after scanning the room. “Step forward…”

“I’ve heard the rumours - some of you have been wondering why we bother to train your minds as well as your bodies. What need have you of becoming lettered, why study the battles of times passed? Certainly, they have their lessons to teach - but filtered through the words of historians seasons later, who were never present - not quick with the essence of battle! That is why I am going to give you these.”

He reached into the bag, producing a pair of leather-bound books and giving one to each of the slightly confused-looking guards.

“Before your first missions, each of you will receive one of these. In them, you will record your victories for posterity. Leave out no detail - for there is no shame in any defeat but those we cannot learn from. When you return, the bards will have the richest sources of raw material with which to celebrate your glories! In time I hope we will amass the land’s greatest library of warfare, for this guard force is the start of something great, and I would not have that gathering of knowledge wasted! For those who fall, you will have a mighty bargaining piece to barter for entry into the Foehammer’s halls! For glory! For Tempus!”

The room dissolved into cheering and applause.

When the tumult had subsided, Jareth turned to his two chosen volunteers. “I’ll meet you in the arming room in a half-bell. There is much to prepare…”

About Me

Loudwater area, 2 miles/hex

Eastern Gray Vale 2 miles/hex

"My first husband Connor, he died fighting for what he believed in... He wouldn't yield to the Naarash, wouldn't join them... When the Banites killed him, I lost hope. But you've given me back hope, Lady Lirael. You, and our Lady Amara." Willa takes her baby from her back, holds him proudly. "Little Connor here, he'll grow up a free man, 'cos of you, milady."- Willa Wilsams-wife